1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems and methods used for enhancing navigation performance. More particularly, the present invention relates to interconnecting and co-locating different systems and components with little impact on existing cabling requirements between and among the systems and components.
2. Background of the Invention
As a result of component miniaturization, it is becoming increasingly possible to co-locate instruments for the benefit of confirming or refining measurement data obtained by either or both instruments. Examples of such instruments might include a global positioning satellite (GPS), Galileo, or GPS/Galileo antenna and an inertial measurement unit (IMU) that are fixed to a wing of an aircraft. Of course, transmission of data and power to and from such co-located units requires multiple cables. However, the use of multiple cables often results in complex wire routing and inefficient use of resources, especially on aircraft having limited space. In addition, routing individual cables for each of these tasks increases weight for a given installation. It would be desirable to have a simpler and more efficient manner of transmitting power and data with respect to co-located devices, especially devices associated with aircraft navigation.